Self-canceling directional signal switch for motor vehicles



Sept. 16, 1952 GAZDA SELF-CANCELING DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SWITCH FOR MOTORVEHICLES Filed Jan. 13, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Ava yro? /4A/7'0//V 6420/4IT'TOENE/S Sept. 16, 1952 A. GAZDA SELF-CANCELING DIRECTIONAL SIGNALSWITCH FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1950 /Nl N7'OI?,4/v TO/A/E 6,420?

Wad 14 Irma/vars Patented Sept. 16, 1952 SELF-CANCELING DIRECTIONALSIGNAL SWITCI'I'FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Antoine Gazda, Providence, I.

Application January 13, 1950, Serial No. 138,439

(01. ZOO-35) .9 Claims.

This invention relates to self-cancelling directional signal switchesfor motor vehicles and the like whereby after a signal of the directionwhich the motor vehicle is about to take has been given, the operator ofthe vehicle need not give any further attention thereto since after acertain predetermined period the electrical connection establishing thecircuit lighting a particular signal is automatically broken.

An object of the invention is to provide a con struction which may beeasily mounted upon the steering column of automobiles, trucks or othervehicles now in use without extensive modification of the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means illuminatingthe operating handle of the switch only during the period the circuit isclosed and to provide an illumination that is clearly visible to theoperator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in whicha clock mechanism is used controlled by the operating handle to returnsuch handle after it has been moved to close certain circuits to itsoriginal or neutral position when such circuits are broken.

With the above and other objects in view which willbecome apparent fromthe detailed description below, the invention is shown in the drawings,in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the steering wheel oi a vehicle withthe invention .sccuredto the steering column thereof;

Figure 2 is a horizontal plan view through the invention showing theparts in neutral position;

Figure3 is a similar view to Figure 2 illustrating the parts in thepositions which they will occupy when the handle has been pivoted to setthe directional signals of the vehicle for one direction or the other; a

Figure 4 is a partial cross sectional view at right angles to the viewshown in Figure 2 along the central line thereof with parts shown inelevation;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken upon section line V-'V looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a plan view with parts broken away of a detail showing therack for operating the timing mechanism. and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the'operating cam.

1111 the various views similar characters reps The wiring to thedirectional signals which may be of any electrical type located at thedesired positions upon the vehicle is connected in conventional mannerthrough a flashing unit so that when the directional signal is operatedthe particular directional signal or signals desired are intermittentlyilluminated.

The casing l at the end opposite the clamping plate 2 is provided with aconcave portion 32 for cooperating with the steering column 3|. Looatedwithin. the casing in the case it! is a clock mechanism having a spring33 cooperating with a gear train 3% and fiy-wheel 35. The pinion forwinding the spring 33 is shown at '36. A rack 9 cooperates with thepinion 36 so that when the rack s is moved, the pinion 36 under theinfluence of the spring 33 will gradually return the rack 9 to itsinitial position. The time of such return maybe varied by changing themoment of inertia of the fly-wheel 35 or substituting a fly-wheel ofdiiierent weight so that the return of the rack 3 maybe set for anypredetermined time interval.

The rack s is pivotally connected by a pin 8 to a cam plate 1 shown inperspective in Figure '7.

.The cam plate I is mounted for reciprocating movement in the casing Iby means of guides H secured to the casing l and projections or ribs l2secured to a cover I3 for the casing I.

The cover 13 is secured to the casing l by means.

of screws 3'! screwing into bosses 35 provided upon the casing The caseill of the timing unit is provided with ears 38 which are secured to thebottom 39 of the casing I by means of screws 45 passing through theapertures 4! provided in the ears 38.

The cam plate I is provided'with a cam track 42 of the configurationparticularly shown in Figure '7 and the lever assembly 5 is mounted onthe boss it by means of the threaded screw 22 so as to pivot thereon.Interposed between the head of the screw 22 and the lever arm 5 is awasher 54. At one end of the lever the operating handle t is secured,which is preferably of Lucite having a channel 45 therein. The inner endof the handle 4 is provided with a metallic ferrule 46 which may besoldered to the lever 5 or secured thereto in any desired way. At theother end of the lever 5 a stud pin 5 is screwed into a threadedaperture 4'! and the pin 6 is provided with a smooth portion 28surrounded by a bushing 48 which is held in lace by a washer 4'5 whichin turn is held in place by the head of a threaded pin 50 screwed intothe bottom of the pin 6. The bushing 48 contacts the cam track 42.

.Also mounted upon the lever arm 5 by soldering or the like is a socket23 in which a light bulb 24 is secured by a bayonet slot. A cover plate25 extending at one end partly over the ferrule 46 and at the other endover the light bulb 24 directs the light rays from the bulb 24 into thechannel 45 of the handle 4. One lead for the light bulb 24 is shown atI.

Secured to the under side of the lever 5 by screws such as 52 is abracket member 26 of insulating material and the bracket 25 has thereinan aperture 53 into which a prong 54 of a spider I4 extends. The spiderI4 has three wings 55, 56 and 51 for making contact with contacts I8. I9and Il respectively. The prong 54 is provided on the wing 51.

An insulating bushing I5 encircles the boss 43 and at the top has anoverhanging ledge 58 in contact with the under surface of the lever 5.The lower edge of the bushing I5 contactsan insulating plate 59 whichrests upon a flange 6!! extending from the bottom of the casing I and aledge BI provided in a wall of the casing -I. The contacts I1, IB and I9extend through suitable openings provided in the insulating plate 59 Thecontacts II, I8 and I9 have the configuration shown particularly inFigure 2. Extending between the overhanging ledge 58 of the bushing I5and bearing against the spider I4 is a spring I5 which urges the spiderI4 downwardly so that good contact is maintained between the variouswings of the spider and the contacts The lead to the contact IT is shownat 62, the lead to the contact I8 at 63 and a similar lead extends tothe contact l9.

The operation of the signal switch described above is as follows:

When the operator of the vehicle desires to make a turn in one directionor the other, he moves the handle 4 to either the full line position inFigure 3, or to the dotted line position. By moving the handle 4 to thefull line position contact is maintained between the wing 51 of thespider I4 and the contact I I and contact is made between the contact I8and the wing 55 of spider I4. A circuit is thereby completed to theappropriate direction signal or signals upon the vehicle and also to thepilot light 24.

At the same time when the handle 4 is moved to the full line position'inFigure 3, the bushing 48 carried by the pin 6 upon the lever arm 5 movesthe cam plate to the right as shown in Figure 3 and at the same time thepin 8 upon the cam plate I moves the rack 9 to the right as shown inFigure 4, thereby rotating the pinion 36 and winding the clock spring33. When the handle '4 is released the clock spring 'will urge thepinion 36 in itsreturn movement, thereby moving the rack 9 to the leftas shown in Figure 4 which" int'urn gradually moves the cam plate! tothe left in the same figure and the lever 5 is gradually returned to theneutral position as shown the entire lengthof handle 4 which makes itclearly'visible to the operator at all times;

When the rackplate 9 is fully extended the clock spring 33 is set toexert a force to retract the rack 9- at the rate of: approximately inch.4 in 15 seconds. The time for the return of the lever 5 and handle 4 tonormal position may be set at any desired time by either changing thefiy-wheel in the clock mechanism or by other known methods of changingthe time factor.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention orsacrificing its material advantages, the form hereinbeiore described andillustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. -A self-cancelling directional signal switch for motor vehicles andthe like comprising a casing, means for securing said casing to thesteering column of a vehicle, a series of fixed contacts, a pivotedlever, a movable contact mounted upon said lever for selectivelyinterconnecting said fixed contacts, a reciprocating cam plate movableby said lever, a rack operated by said cam plate and a spring actuatedtiming mechanism operated by said rack so that when said lever ispivoted circuits are established to the direction signals ofthe vehicleand said timing mechanism is energized to return said lever to neutralposi-' tion after the lapse of a predetermined time interval and therebybreak said circuits.

2. A self-cancelling directional signal switch for motor vehicles andthe like comprising a casing, means for securing said' casing to thesteering column of a vehicle, a series of fixed contacts, a pivotedlever, a movable contact mounted upon said lever for selectivelyinterconnecting said fixed contacts, a cam plate having an internal camtrack reciprocatingly mounted in said casing, a cam pin at one end ofsaid lever cooperating with said cam track, a rack operated by said camplate and a spring actuated timing mechanism operated by said racksothat when said lever is pivoted circuits are established to thedirection signals of the vehicle and 'said timing mechanism is energizedto return said lever to neutral position after' the lapse of apredetermined time interval and thereby break said circuits.

3. A self-cancelling directional signal switch as set forth in claim 1wherein a boss is provided upon said casing upon which said lever ispivoted.

4. A self-cancelling directional signal switch as set forth in claim 1wherein resilient means are usedior urging said movable contact againstsaid fixed contacts. r

5. A self-cancelling directional signal switch as set forth in claim 1wherein said movable contact is in the form' of a spider.

6. A self-cancelling directional signal switch as set forth in claim 1wherein said movable con-' tact is connected with'said lever by means ofan insulating plate fixed to said lever.

7. A self-cancelling directional signal switch for motor vehicles andthe like comprising a casingmeans for securing said casingto thesteering column of a vehicle, a series of fixed contacts, a pivotedleverg'a movable contact mounted 'upon' said lever "forselectivelyinterconnecting said fixed contacts, a slidable cam: plate in'saidcasing. a cam on one 'en'd'of said lever cooperating with said camplate, a light mounted on said lever, a handle at the other end of saidlever illuminated by said lightja rack operated byis'aid cam plate and'a springactuated;

timing mechanism operated by said rack so that when said lever ispivoted circuits are established to the direction signals of the vehicleand to said light and said timing mechanism is energized to return saidlever to neutral position after the lapse of a predetermined timeinterval and thereby break said circuits.

8. A self-cancelling directional signal switch for motor vehicles andthe like comprising a casing, a series of fixed contacts, a pivotedlever, a movable contact rotatable upon the pivot of said lever andactuated by said lever for selectively interconnecting said fixedcontacts, a cam plate longitudinally and slidably movable by said lever,a spring actuated timing mechanism and means operated by said cam plateso that when said lever is pivoted circuits are established to thedirectional signals of the vehicle and said timing mechanism isenergized to return said lever to neutral position after a predeterminedtime interval and thereby break said circuits.

9. A self-cancelling directional signal switch for motor vehicles andthe like comprising a casing, a series of fixed contacts located withinsaid casing, a lever mounted pivotally in said casing. a movable contactrotatable upon the pivot of said lever and actuated by said leverREFERENCES CITED The following reierences are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,555,497 Junghans et a1. Sept.29, 1925 1,832,116 Heising et al Nov. 17, 1931 2,010,454 Haltrich et a1.Aug. 6, 1935 2,193,268 Catron et a1 Mar. 12, 1940 2,262,170 Douglas Nov.11, 1941 2,334,882 Muhleck Nov. 23, 1943

